batch.motif.japanese-fairy-tales-ozaki-gutenberg-l6236-l6369
---
record_id: batch.motif.japanese-fairy-tales-ozaki-gutenberg-l6236-l6369
source_text_path: texts/public-domain/japanese/project-gutenberg/japanese-fairy-tales-ozaki.md
passage_locator:
label: THE QUARREL OF THE MONKEY AND THE CRAB / THE WHITE HARE AND THE CROCODILES
/ THE STORY OF PRINCE YAMATO TAKE / MOMOTARO, OR THE STORY OF THE SON OF A PEACH;
lines 6236-6369
start: '6236'
end: '6369'
translation: Japanese Fairy Tales
notes: Generated from OpenAI Batch run motif-extraction-2026-04-28-high-priority;
human review required.
canonical_text:
quote: ''
summary: An elderly peasant couple work separately, the man cutting grass and the
woman washing clothes by a river. A large peach floats downstream; the woman recites
an old charm-verse, and the peach comes within reach. She brings it home. When
her husband prepares to cut it, the peach splits open by itself and a child emerges.
The child says he is not a demon or fairy, but has been sent by Heaven in answer
to the couple’s longing for a child. They adopt and name him Momotaro, Son of
a Peach. He grows into a strong, handsome, courageous, and wise boy, and later
expresses gratitude to his foster-father.
language: English
quote_policy: summarized
literal_observations:
- id: obs:1
text: An old man and old woman are described as peasants who work for their daily
rice.
category: attribute
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- id: obs:2
text: The old man goes to the hills to cut grass while the old woman goes to the
river to wash clothes.
category: action
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- id: obs:3
text: A large peach floats down the stream while the old woman is washing clothes.
category: object
evidence_refs:
- ev:2
- id: obs:4
text: The old woman recites an old charm-verse while clapping her hands, and the
peach comes near the bank.
category: speech
evidence_refs:
- ev:3
- id: obs:5
text: The old woman takes the peach home in her hand.
category: action
evidence_refs:
- ev:4
- id: obs:6
text: The old man prepares to cut the peach with a kitchen knife, but the peach
splits in two by itself.
category: sequence
evidence_refs:
- ev:5
- id: obs:7
text: A beautiful little child steps out of the split peach and speaks to the old
couple.
category: action
evidence_refs:
- ev:5
- id: obs:8
text: The child says he is not a demon or fairy and says Heaven sent him to be the
son of the couple’s old age.
category: speech
evidence_refs:
- ev:6
- id: obs:9
text: The old couple name the child Momotaro, or Son of a Peach, because he came
out of a peach.
category: action
evidence_refs:
- ev:7
- id: obs:10
text: By age fifteen, Momotaro is taller and stronger than boys his age, handsome,
courageous, and wise.
category: attribute
evidence_refs:
- ev:8
- id: obs:11
text: Momotaro addresses his foster-father and thanks him for his goodness.
category: speech
evidence_refs:
- ev:9
figures:
- id: fig:1
name_or_label: old man
description: An elderly peasant husband who cuts grass and later becomes Momotaro’s
foster-father.
role_refs:
- role:1
- role:4
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- ev:7
- ev:9
- id: fig:2
name_or_label: old woman
description: An elderly peasant wife who washes clothes by the river, retrieves
the peach, and becomes Momotaro’s foster-mother.
role_refs:
- role:2
- role:4
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- ev:2
- ev:4
- ev:7
- id: fig:3
name_or_label: Momotaro
description: A beautiful little child who emerges from a peach, says Heaven sent
him, is named Son of a Peach, and grows into a strong, courageous, wise boy.
role_refs:
- role:3
- role:5
evidence_refs:
- ev:5
- ev:6
- ev:7
- ev:8
- id: fig:4
name_or_label: Heaven
description: The agency said by the child to have compassion on the old couple and
to have sent him to them.
role_refs:
- role:6
evidence_refs:
- ev:6
roles:
- id: role:1
label: elderly peasant husband
assigned_to:
- fig:1
basis: The passage describes the old man as a peasant who cuts grass for farmers.
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- id: role:2
label: elderly peasant wife and finder of the peach
assigned_to:
- fig:2
basis: The old woman washes clothes at the river and sees the great peach floating
downstream.
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- ev:2
- id: role:3
label: miraculously appearing child
assigned_to:
- fig:3
basis: The child steps out of a peach that splits open by itself.
evidence_refs:
- ev:5
- id: role:4
label: foster-parent
assigned_to:
- fig:1
- fig:2
basis: The couple take up the child, name him, and are later addressed as father
and mother/foster-father in the passage.
evidence_refs:
- ev:7
- ev:9
- id: role:5
label: heroic youth
assigned_to:
- fig:3
basis: At fifteen, Momotaro is described as stronger than other boys, courageous,
wise, and what the couple thought a hero ought to be.
evidence_refs:
- ev:8
- id: role:6
label: supernatural sender
assigned_to:
- fig:4
basis: The child says Heaven has heard the couple’s cry and sent him to be their
son.
evidence_refs:
- ev:6
symbols:
- id: sym:1
label: river water
literal_form: river, stream, and water where the old woman washes and where the
peach floats
associated_figures:
- fig:2
- fig:3
taxonomy_refs:
- water
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- ev:2
- ev:3
- id: sym:2
label: great peach
literal_form: large peach floating down the stream and later splitting open
associated_figures:
- fig:2
- fig:3
taxonomy_refs: []
evidence_refs:
- ev:2
- ev:4
- ev:5
- ev:7
- id: sym:3
label: old charm-verse
literal_form: spoken charm-verse recited while clapping to draw the peach closer
associated_figures:
- fig:2
taxonomy_refs: []
evidence_refs:
- ev:3
- id: sym:4
label: self-splitting fruit
literal_form: peach splitting in two of itself before a child emerges
associated_figures:
- fig:3
taxonomy_refs: []
evidence_refs:
- ev:5
scenes:
- id: scene:1
label: Old couple at daily work
summary: The elderly peasant husband goes to the hills to cut grass while his wife
goes to the river to wash clothes.
figure_refs:
- fig:1
- fig:2
symbol_refs:
- sym:1
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- id: scene:2
label: Peach drawn from the river
summary: A large peach floats downstream. The old woman recites a charm-verse and
the peach moves close enough for her to take it home.
figure_refs:
- fig:2
symbol_refs:
- sym:1
- sym:2
- sym:3
evidence_refs:
- ev:2
- ev:3
- ev:4
- id: scene:3
label: Child emerges from the peach
summary: At home, the old man prepares to cut the peach, but it splits open by itself
and a child steps out, speaking to the couple.
figure_refs:
- fig:1
- fig:2
- fig:3
symbol_refs:
- sym:2
- sym:4
evidence_refs:
- ev:5
- id: scene:4
label: Heaven-sent son adopted and named
summary: The child tells the couple that Heaven heard their longing for a child
and sent him to be their son; they rejoice and name him Momotaro, Son of a Peach.
figure_refs:
- fig:1
- fig:2
- fig:3
- fig:4
symbol_refs:
- sym:2
evidence_refs:
- ev:6
- ev:7
- id: scene:5
label: Heroic growth and filial gratitude
summary: Momotaro grows to fifteen, becoming strong, handsome, courageous, and wise,
and he thanks his foster-father for his kindness.
figure_refs:
- fig:1
- fig:3
symbol_refs: []
evidence_refs:
- ev:8
- ev:9
candidate_motifs:
- id: motif:1
label: miraculous child from a peach
taxonomy_refs:
- miraculous_child
basis: A child emerges from a peach that splits open by itself and explains his
arrival as Heaven-sent.
evidence_refs:
- ev:5
- ev:6
confidence: high
cautions: The available taxonomy has no specific peach-birth or fruit-born-child
entry; the broader miraculous_child family is used.
- id: motif:2
label: heaven-sent answer to childless elders
taxonomy_refs:
- sacred_birth
basis: The child says Heaven has compassion on the old couple, has heard their lament
at having no child, and sent him to be their son.
evidence_refs:
- ev:6
- ev:7
confidence: medium
cautions: The passage frames the child as sent by Heaven, but it does not describe
pregnancy or a conventional birth.
- id: motif:3
label: charm speech alters movement of floating object
taxonomy_refs: []
basis: The old woman recites an old charm-verse, after which the floating peach
comes nearer to her bank.
evidence_refs:
- ev:3
confidence: medium
cautions: No available taxonomy reference directly matches this charm-action pattern.
- id: motif:4
label: heroic youth marked by extraordinary qualities
taxonomy_refs:
- culture_hero
basis: Momotaro grows stronger than other boys and is described as courageous, wise,
and hero-like.
evidence_refs:
- ev:8
confidence: medium
cautions: This passage shows heroic qualities but does not yet describe public deeds
or culture-hero actions.
comparison_claims: []
evidence:
- id: ev:1
type: summary
locator: 6236-6251
quote_or_summary: An old peasant couple work for their living; the man goes to the
hills to cut grass and the woman goes to the river to wash clothes.
source_text_path: texts/public-domain/japanese/project-gutenberg/japanese-fairy-tales-ozaki.md
rights_note: Public domain source; summary provided.
- id: ev:2
type: summary
locator: 6267-6273
quote_or_summary: While washing clothes, the old woman sees a great peach floating
downstream, larger than any peach she has seen before.
source_text_path: texts/public-domain/japanese/project-gutenberg/japanese-fairy-tales-ozaki.md
rights_note: Public domain source; summary provided.
- id: ev:3
type: summary
locator: 6281-6294
quote_or_summary: The old woman remembers an old charm-verse, claps time to the
peach’s movement, sings about distant and near water, and the peach comes closer
until it stops before her.
source_text_path: texts/public-domain/japanese/project-gutenberg/japanese-fairy-tales-ozaki.md
rights_note: Public domain source; summary provided.
- id: ev:4
type: summary
locator: 6294-6298
quote_or_summary: The old woman takes up the peach, puts the clothes back in her
bamboo basket, and hurries home with the peach.
source_text_path: texts/public-domain/japanese/project-gutenberg/japanese-fairy-tales-ozaki.md
rights_note: Public domain source; summary provided.
- id: ev:5
type: summary
locator: 6331-6338
quote_or_summary: The old man places the peach on a board to cut it; the peach splits
in two by itself, a voice tells him to wait, and a beautiful little child steps
out.
source_text_path: texts/public-domain/japanese/project-gutenberg/japanese-fairy-tales-ozaki.md
rights_note: Public domain source; summary provided.
- id: ev:6
type: quote
locator: 6340-6346
quote_or_summary: "“Don’t be afraid. I am no demon or fairy... Heaven has had compassion
on you... Your cry has been heard and I am sent to be the son of your old age!”"
source_text_path: texts/public-domain/japanese/project-gutenberg/japanese-fairy-tales-ozaki.md
rights_note: Public domain source; short quotation from public domain text.
- id: ev:7
type: summary
locator: 6348-6354
quote_or_summary: The couple rejoice because they had long lamented having no child;
they hold the child and name him Momotaro, Son of a Peach, because he came out
of a peach.
source_text_path: texts/public-domain/japanese/project-gutenberg/japanese-fairy-tales-ozaki.md
rights_note: Public domain source; summary provided.
- id: ev:8
type: summary
locator: 6356-6361
quote_or_summary: At fifteen, Momotaro is taller and stronger than other boys, handsome,
courageous, wise, and viewed by the old couple as hero-like.
source_text_path: texts/public-domain/japanese/project-gutenberg/japanese-fairy-tales-ozaki.md
rights_note: Public domain source; summary provided.
- id: ev:9
type: summary
locator: 6363-6369
quote_or_summary: Momotaro solemnly addresses his foster-father and says they have
become father and son by strange chance, thanking him for his goodness.
source_text_path: texts/public-domain/japanese/project-gutenberg/japanese-fairy-tales-ozaki.md
rights_note: Public domain source; summary provided.
confidence:
extraction: high
motif_candidates: medium
comparison_claims: high
notes: Extraction is based only on the supplied passage. Motif candidates are broad
because the available taxonomy does not include a specific fruit-born-child or
peach-child category. No comparison claims were added because the passage itself
does not make an explicit comparison to another corpus or tradition.
reviewer_status:
status: needs_review
reviewer: ''
reviewed_at: ''
notes: Machine-generated draft from OpenAI Batch; not human-reviewed.
extracted_by: openai_batch:gpt-5.5
extracted_at: '2026-04-28'
notes: |-
The passage is from the opening of the Momotaro tale and covers the discovery of the peach, Momotaro’s emergence, adoption, naming, and early heroic qualities.
batch_run_id=motif-extraction-2026-04-28-high-priority
custom_id=motif_extract:japanese-fairy-tales-ozaki-gutenberg__l6236-l6369
passage_sha256=feb9561bdd43739f5a8b4b2e8c9442029a17d58ba6000fc778e454184fe83399